Hockey
vs. Ohio State
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Yost Ice Arena
S
Women's Swimming and Diving
vs. Penn State and Southern Illinois
Today, 4 p.m.
Canham Natatorium
Tampa awaits
the field
y4
"a
s
s
THE MATCHUPS
By KEN SUGIURA
-Michigan's passing attack is superior to"
that of Ohio State. The Buckeyes can boast
of receiver Joey Galloway (11 TD recep-
tions), but not much else. On the other
hand, Michigan has perhaps the best group
of receivers in the country, led by elegant
game-breaker Derrick Alexander. Todd
Collins may becomedMichigan's greatest
passer before he is done. A"' Av. .iOUIn A IA*
This ought to be an interesting contest.
Tyrone Wheatley alone gives Michigan the
nod over the Buckeyes and counterpart
Raymont Harris, a bully up the middle. His
M backup, the many-apostrophed Butler
By'not'e, has four touchdowns and has
more speed than he knows what to do
with. This game will be the many-syllabled
Tshimanga Biakabutuka's biggest so far,
end may show if he's the real deal.
The Michigan front looked better against
Minnesota, but Minnesota is not Ohio
State. Marc Milla and Co. will have their
hands full. The young Michigan line is still
improving, but the Ohio State line is senior-
dominated, and the youngest, soph Korey
Stringer, is a mountain. Buckeye tight end
Cedric Saunders is a keeper.
Just like Wheatley does for the running
backs, Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson (6-foot-
5, 310 pounds and one huge shadow)
alone provides Ohio State the edge.
Wilkinson has 38 tackles, 11 for loss.
Michigan tackle Buster Stanley leads a
4nit that ranks close behind, but does not
quite have the statistics that'the Buckeyes
do.
Middle linebackers Jarrett Irons (Michigan)
and Lorenzo Styles (Ohio State) will
terrorize the Big Ten for seasons to come.
Irons, a freshman, and Styles, a sopho-
more, both lead their team in tackles. The
decimated Michigan linebackers have held
their own, but Styles and fellow 'backer
Craig Powell, another sophomore -
second in tackles, including five for loss -
are better.
Walter Taylor, Ohio State's free safety, is a
wonderful player. He has intercepted five
passes and broken up six more. Michigan's
secondary came of age last week against
Minnesota, picking off four passes,
including two by corner Ty Law. But the
Buckeye secondary yields 35 fewer yards
per game on average.
BUCKEYES
Continued from page 1.
the Aloha Bowl (Dec. 25 in Hono-
lulu) a possibility.
"As far as I'm concerned our sea-
son is not going to be over until the
month of January," said senior center
Marc Milia, who will be among those
playing in his last Michigan Stadium
game tomorrow. "I'm planning on
winning on Saturday and playing in a
bowl game on January 1st.
"I cannot conceive of sitting home
at Christmas time. It just doesn't go
right in my mind."
The game kicks off at 12:10 p.m.,
and is televised nationally by ABC.
Michigan has won or tied the last
five meetings between the schools,
and Ohio State coach John Cooper
has never beaten the Wolverines in
his current role. As coach of Arizona
State, Cooper defeated Michigan
22-15, in the 1987 Rose Bowl.
"We haven't been able to beat
Michigan since I've been here," Coo-
per said. "That's a reality."
So is this. The Buckeyes are good
this year. They upended Washington,
21-12, early in the season when the
Huskies were still on their "mission."
They embarrassed Penn State, 24-6.
And most impressively, they pulled
a season-saving tie out of theproverbial
jaws ofdefeat at Wisconsin, cruising 99
yards in four plays for the tying touch-
down and blocking the Badgers' last-
second field goal-attempt.
Ohio State's personnel sparkles.
On offense, junior split end Joey Gal-
loway, a lock for All-Big Ten and an
Engler bets on
'M' victory
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Michigan governor John Engler
placed a friendly wager with Ohio
Governor George Voinovich on the
outcome of tomorrow's Michigan-
Ohio State game.
"I know what it's like to beat the
odds," Engler said. "I'm proud to
stand up for Michigan, and the Wol-
verines."
If the Wolverines win, Governor
Voinocich will have to wear a U-M
sweatshirt at the governor's confer-
ence in Phoenix next week. If the
Buckeyes prevail, Governor Engler
will have to wear an Ohio State
sweatshirt at the conference.
All-America candidate, caught three
of the four passes in the final drive at
Madison and is a constant threat. Se-
nior tailback Raymont "Quiet Storm"
Harris has over 1,000 yards to his
credit this year, as well as nine touch-
downs.
And apair of quarterbacks, sopho-
more Bob Hoying - the frequent
starter - and senior Bret Powers,
platoon throughout the game, ala the
Huskies of two years ago.
"Their two quarterbacks are very
different," freshman linebackerJarret
Irons said. "Hoying is more of a roll-
out quarterback. (Powers) throws
long, he's got a strong arm."
Defensively, experience and
quickly developed talent combine to
form a powerful combination for the
Bucks. Seven defensive members are
upperclassmen, but the top two tack-
lers, linebackers Lorenzo Styles and
Craig Powell, are sophomores.
Put it this way: there's not too
much of a chance Michigan will re-
peat its 1902 performance when it
blanked Ohio State, 86-0.
But it probably won't be a Buckeye
runaway, either. The Wolverines come
into the game with renewed confidence
from their 58-7 blowout of Minnesota,
and with the knowledge that a win will
likely send them to sunny climes to ring
in the New Year.
Tailback Tyrone Wheatley re-
turned to the lineup last week in style,
with three touchdowns. His
compadres have come on strong as
well. Sophomore Ed Davis continues
to rush solidly, and, of particular in-
terest, rookie Tshimanga Biakabutuka
has rushed for two touchdowns in
EVAN PETRIE/Daily
put their bowl hopes on the line
Ed Davis and the Michigan WolverinesI
tomorrow against No. 5 Ohio State.
each of the last two games.
Additionally, the other units have
finally shown signs of geling. The
defense has only allowed 17 points
since the Illinois loss, and the special
teams are finally performing the way
they are expected to.
Surprising nobody, Michigan
coach Gary Moeller said it all came
down to the fundamentals.
"We need to stop the run and we
need to be able to run the football,"
Moeller said. " If we can do that, we
can win the game."
A D
ANDY DE KORTE
All trends point to an Ohio State victory. The last three times Ohio State beat the Wolverines,
Michigan shared no part of the Big Ten title, just like this year. The Wolverines, one-point
favorites, have had little luck when being favored this year, losing to the underdogs four
times.
However, there's no explaining this Wolverine team.
MICHIGAN 31, OHIO STATE 23
I just don't know how to read this team anymore. If the Wolverines need more motivation
than preventing OSU from going to the Rose Bowl, they shouldn't even show up. And I'd like
to believe that Gary Moeller's rousing speeches explaining the significance of the Michigan-
Ohio State game this week might have seeped in. I've got a feeling that we're going to see
the best game of the year. Unfortunately, even the best game is going to be a loss.
RYAN HERRINGTON OHIO STATE 24, MICHIGAN 20
Some say it's a fantasy for Michigan to think of beating Ohio State this year (excluding, of
course, those in Las Vegas). You want fantasy? I'll give it to you. With the Buckeyes leading,
20-14, late in the fourth quarter, QB Bret Powers looks deep for Joey Galloway, but Shonte
Peoples steps in front at the last minute and returns the ball 60 yards for the decisive score.
Well, there's one fantasy for you. It could be the right one, so call it ...
ADAM MILLER MICHIGAN 21, OHIO STATE 20
1 must warn you that looking to me for an accurate prediction is something akin to looking to a
water buffalo, or for that matter, an Ohio State student, for a sonnet. Regardless, if it's a
prediction you want, it's a prediction you'll get. Michigan is improving, but Ohio State is still
better. Charged up, the Wolverines will put up some points in the first half but the Buckeyes
will scrao their way back into the game for a trio to Pasadena. I hooe I'm wrong.
;Sports, sports, and more
sports.
DAILY
m
I